Feb 4, 2022 2 min read

Fort Cherry was the better team

I wanted to respond to the article written by Joe Smeltzer about the Fort Cherry-Burgettstown girls game played Jan. 31. The article titled, “Fort Cherry steals one as Burgettstown gets fouled up” was a disgrace to the FC girls basketball team that outplayed, outhustled, and eventually outscored a Burgettstown team that collapsed and gave up in the end.

The article made it sound like the FC team had no reason to be in the game. The only one who praised the team was the FC coach. A comment in the article made by the Burgettstown coach was a complaint about the officiating and how upset she was that it happened on her home court.

If one was paying attention to the game, and understands coaching, officiating, and spectating, one saw an FC team with heart and talent outplay Burgettstown. Yes, one of Burgettstown’s key players fouled out within 10 seconds of starting the fourth quarter, but why would you put that key player back in the game at that point when your team had a five-point lead?

Yes, there was an intentional foul called, but that didn’t make or break the game. Burgettstown had a one-point lead after the intentional foul, and the fouls at that time were 9 to 8. What did break the game open – which we don’t read about in the article – was the hustle from the Rangers who made Burgettstown commit three turnovers in under one minute, and in that time outscored Burgettstown 7-0.

Fort Cherry didn’t steal it, the Rangers earned the win, and you’re right, Burgettstown fouled up, but didn’t get fouled up. It was disgusting that we read about the disgruntled coach from Burgettstown who blamed every source for the loss, except her team’s lack of effort at the end of the game.

Fort Cherry might not be the best team in 2A Section 3 but it was Monday night.

Hugh Staub

McDonald